Marion County RECORD

A willingness to embrace uncertainty and figure things out with her students along the way was part of what compelled English teacher Jona Neufeld to jump on the technological bandwagon and engage students by using digital devices and online programs this semester in her classroom at Marion Middle School.
“I have been working toward a paperless classroom for a while,” Neufeld said. “I personally have been using Google Docs for several years and have seen firsthand the excitement that takes place when students have technology to use as a tool to facilitate their learning.”

The Marion school board approved a bid Monday to resurface the track over the summer at a cost of $167,500, although nearly $30,000 of that will be paid for by a grant.
Administrators estimated the track was about 15 years old. Cracks are beginning to appear in places. The district had planned to resurface it last year, but it was in good enough shape to wait.

Assistant Police Chief Clinton Jeffery said about four sources reported seeing a skunk running down Main Street Friday just before noon.
“It was moving kind of funny on its back legs,” he said. “People were wondering if it was rabid.”

Strange feathery faces may not be noticed to those driving down U.S. 50, but with their vision they certainly see everyone.
A nest of great horned owlets reside about a mile west of Florence in a sycamore tree off U.S. 50 and near the railroad tracks. Phoebe Janzen stumbled upon the nest during one of her many photography excursions during the winter and started monitoring the nest.

It was standing room only at the Marion City Council meeting Monday as residents gathered to say good-bye to Mayor Mary Olson and thank her for her years of service and welcome Todd Heitschmidt to the post.
Olson shed a few tears as she addressed the council, employees, and residents present.

A handful of concerned constituents attended a town hall held by Rep. Tim Huelskamp Monday at the Hillsboro city building. Several asked questions pertaining to foreign debt, the farm bill, food stamps, minimum wage, and the federal budget.
Residents from Hillsboro, Lehigh, and surrounding communities posed questions about the budget and government programs such as food stamps.

Terry Jones has lived in Marion for less than a year, but says it already feels like home. He will start as economic development director with the city on Monday.
Jones said he will speak with residents and town leaders to come up with a vision for the city.

City administrator Roger Holter reported to Marion Economic Development on Tuesday that renovations on 12 out of 20 apartments are complete at September I, and that Victory Plaza is ready to begin pouring pads for duplexes. Holter said he hopes the duplexes will be filled with about one-half current Marion residents and half people coming from out of town.
Work on Subway is continuing to progress, Greg Carlson said, and Holter said Ace Hardware is in the process of hiring.

Guest speaker Jared Estes will talk at a town hall meeting at 6 p.m. April 23 at Centre High School about how he and his family were involved in a drunk driving accident.
Pizza will be served, and residents will have an opportunity to turn in expired medication for disposal. Marion County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition and Marion County Peace Officers Association sponsor the event. For more information contact Ashlee Gann at (620) 877-0197 or Jill Day at (785) 983-4321.

Transfer Station Director Rollin Schmidt told commissioners Monday he would have to find a better way to secure the station after it was broken into during the weekend.
Schmidt said burglars broke into one of the windows on the north side of the station, then kicked open the office door and stole around $80 cash. There was minimal damage.

The Silver Bullet Band is the final addition to the music lineup at Chingawassa Days. The country-rock quartet from Kansas City will perform the evenings of June 6 and 7.
They play covers of songs by Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith, George Strait, Keith Urban, Little Texas, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and others.

Richard Idleman, facilities director for Centre schools, presented a compilation of potential summer projects Monday to the board of education.
After a lengthy discussion, the board approved total expenditures of $61,000 in capital improvements. These include replacement of the main electrical panel for $27,916, replacement of 27 windows on the west side of the south wing for $26,740, maintenance and repair of the parking lot for not more than $5,019, and painting of the metal floor borders in the main gym for $1,325.

Several local Easter egg hunts will be Saturday around the county. Children can hunt for eggs and discover what prizes the Easter bunny left for them.
Marion — Children can hunt for eggs beginning at 10:30 a.m. in Central Park. The Easter bunny will make an appearance.

Tax season is over, but scammers are still looking for a way to get a piece of people’s refund. A Marion resident last week received a call from a man claiming to be from the IRS.
Police said the phone call was threatening, and scared the resident, which prompted the call to the police. The resident contacted police before making an over the phone payment to the person.

Iva Britton was already on the paper’s friend list when another friend request from her showed up.

As if he hasn’t done enough already to preserve the west side of Tampa’s Main Street, David Mueller has begun a project to recreate the building that housed a grocery store. It was Moffitt’s Market when it closed on May 1, 1999. The building was attached to the north and west sides of La Luna Café.
Vince Jantz of Jantz Construction is overseeing the project. Using a bucket crane owned by Dalke Construction of Hillsboro, operator Gail Makovec of rural Lincolnville spent several days last week demolishing the old building and clearing the debris.

Harold Jerome Bauer, 85, died April 8, at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. He was born Jan. 7, 1929, at St. Rose Hospital in Great Bend, Kan., to Henry J. and Lydia Minnie (Nolte) Bauer.
He worked for 60 years at Bauer’s Grocery in Hudson, a business started by his father in the 1920s and continued on by him and his brother, Charles Dean Bauer.

Lucilla Funk, 91, died April 9 at Parkside Homes in Hillsboro. She was born July 25, 1922, to Wilhelm and Martha (Richert) Unruh in Hillsboro.
She married Elmer Funk on April 26, 1945, in rural Goessel.

Lucy P. Hughes, 97, died April 8 at Asbury Park in Newton. She was born March 19, 1917, in Tampa to John and Gertrude Hutchison Pleiser.
She grew up and attended school in Tampa, graduating from high school in 1935. She was bookkeeper and office manager for a piano and organ company in California for many years.

Mable Nicodemus, 93, died Sunday at Newton Medical Center. She was born Sept. 5, 1920, in Newton to Gilbert and Chloe (Meiers) Taylor.
On April 21, 1940, she married Don “Nick” Nicodemus in Lindsborg. She was a longtime member of Salem United Methodist Church in Newton.

Dustin D. Thiesen, 29, died Thursday at his rural Hillsboro residence. He was born Dec. 16, 1984, to Duane D. and Donna K. (Janzen) Thiesen in Newton.
He is survived by his father, Duane D. Thiesen of Gainsville, Texas; mother, Donna K. Spoonemore of rural Hillsboro; two sisters, Jamie Spoonemore and Holly Spoonemore of rural Hillsboro; and his companion dog, Duster.

As I was interviewing Al and Gloria Ash this week about the county Department on Aging’s transportation program, which they are volunteers for, Al told me that he gets much more back from volunteering than the effort he puts in. He’s completely right.
Getting to know people, getting to know your community, and the satisfaction of knowing you’ve done something good for the community are all benefits of volunteerism. Volunteerism is especially important in small communities, which can’t spend an issue away. Everything of value to the community takes a group effort.

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

The board of directors of the Harvey-Marion County Community Developmental Disability Organization will have its monthly meeting at 4 p.m. April 21 at 500 N. Main St., Suite 204 in Newton. An opportunity for a public forum will be included.

Don and Karen Druse will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with a come-and-go reception from 3 to 5 p.m. April 26 at Holy Family Activity Center in Marion.
The couple asks attendees not to bring gifts. For those who cannot attend but would still like to congratulate the couple, send cards to 809 Weldon St. Marion, KS 6686.

The family of MaryAnn Wiens celebrated Easter with dinner April 13 at the Hilltop Community Room.
Those in attendance from Marion were MaryAnn Weins, Gerald and Jan Wiens, Jennifer Schneider, Don and Janice Hodson, Jeff, Erica and Noah Richmond, Lindsey Richmond and Bryan Grosse and Braylee, Jerry, Loreen and Eli Hett, and guest Frankie Turner.

Author Deborah Raney will present a program about her 20-year journey as a Christian novelist at 9:30 a.m. April 26 in the Santa Fe Room at Marion City Library.
Raney will speak about how she got started as a writer, her background, and what books she has written.

Twenty-one members of 20th Century Club gathered at Zimmerman’s on April 7. The group shared hot ham and cheese sandwiches, salad, and dessert.
Teresa Huffman, county economic developer, told the group about ways her office supports existing businesses and tourism in the county.

Members of the Neo-Century Club listened to a program given by Karen Ehrlich, owner of Down on the Corner, about types of needles and yarns April 7 at Hilltop Manor.
Hostesses were Suzanne Thole, Lou Roberts, and Lenore Dieter.

Leadership Marion County class and board members toured county school districts April 3 for Education Day.
At each school the group listened to students, teachers, and district leaders about leadership, entrepreneurship, and technology programs.

Circles of Marion County and Families and Communities Together will have a poverty simulation May 3.
The event will try to help participants answer the question, “What choices would you make if you had too little time and money to meet your needs?” The event is intended for people age 16 or older.

The final Lifelong Learning session of the semester will feature the “Purveyor of the Past” and history teacher Joe Basso.
At 9:15 a.m., April 25 in the Wohlgemuth Music Education Center at Tabor College, patrons will learn about the history and origins of several nursery rhymes and everyday expressions.

MARION SENIOR CENTER:

MEMORIES:

Al and Gloria Ash of Marion are among a group of volunteers in the county who drive senior citizens to doctor appointments and other appointments, and they say it never feels like a burden.
“We enjoy doing this,” Gloria Ash said.

Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the government free of charge provides preventive services for those with Medicare insurance.
Along with free yearly wellness exams, Medicare recipients can get free screenings for early detection of diseases before there are any symptoms. These screenings include mammograms, colonoscopies, and checks for high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. Smokers on Medicare can get free help to kick the habit.

A number of area students participated in District Six Kansas Music Teachers Association Music Progressions Saturday at Bethel College in Newton as part of an annual test structured to evaluate students’ musical growth.
In addition to performing on the piano, students were tested in areas of listening, keyboard theory, and written theory.

Centre High School was the site of the Wheat State League forensics tournament April 7.
Centre, Peabody-Burns, Goessel, Wakefield, Solomon, and White City schools were joined by non-league Herington and Chase County. There were 101 entries in various events.

The Centre FFA and agricultural education department will have a spring plant sale from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Centre greenhouse.
Plants available will include flowers, fruits, vegetables, and peppers.

Marion High School graduate Jay Dee Schafers will perform as one of the lead soloists in the Butler Community College theatre presentation April 17-19, her third performance this year.
Tickets for the performance, “Godspell,” can be reserved and purchased through the Butler box office.

Marion Elementary School students will perform in the annual spring concerts under the direction of music teacher Anita Hancock.
Third-and fourth-grade students will perform at 7 p.m. Monday, while kindergarten, first, and second-grade students will perform at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Four of the six gymnasts on the Marion Skywalkers competition team placed at state competition April 5 in Independence.
Emily Schafers of Marion placed first in the double-mini and trampoline and second in floor. Trevor Schafers, also of Marion, placed first in all three events. Emily qualified for national competition with her score for double-mini, and Trevor qualified with his trampoline routine.

Marion High School vocal music students performed in the 3A regional solo and ensemble music festival March 29 at Tabor College.
The Men’s Choir and Marion High Singers both received the top rating, “I,” and qualified for the state festival April 28 at Southeast of Saline.

Marion Middle School seventh and eighth grade teams competed in the Heart of America League middle school scholars’ bowl tournament.
The seventh-grade team placed third with Larry Zieammermann leading with 340 points, and Lilly Collett and Emmy Hess with 40 points. Charlie Nordquist had 30 points, and Michaela Regnier and Drew Helmer had 10 points each.

In a competitive meet Friday, the Marion girls edged out first place in the Marion Relays, while the boys finished second out of 13 teams. In the process, 13 athletes set personal records in 20 events.
“We had probably the most competitive Marion Relays we have had in a long time, and we are very pleased to have the girls’ team finish first and the boys’ team finish second to a very good El Dorado team,” head coach Grant Thierolf said.

One game was over before it started, but the other went to the wire for the Marion High School softball team.
The Warriors scored six runs in the first inning of its first game against the Canton-Galva Eagles on Tuesday, setting the tone for the rest of the game.

A completed registration form and fee of $30 per swimmer is due by May 1 for swimmers who wish to compete on Marion’s summer league swim team.
For more information, call coaches Greta Smith at (620) 381-1093 or Heather Calhoun at (620) 504-2609.